Chrysanthemum plant named &#39;dora&#39;

ABSTRACT

A  chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Dora’ characterized by its small sized blooms with red ray florets and prolific branching; natural season flower date October 18-25; blooming for a period of 4 weeks.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

‘Dora’ is a product of a breeding and selection program for outdoor pot mums (garden mums) which had the objective of creating new chrysanthemum cultivars with a daisy type flower, a natural season flower date around October 18-25; blooming for a period of 4 weeks. The new plant of the present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar of chrysanthemum plant ‘Dora’ is a seedling resulting from a crossing program, which was set up by a previous breeder, and which records are unknown to the inventor. The new and distinct cultivar was discovered and selected as a flowering plant by Mark Roland Boeder on a cultivated field in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands in 2001. The first act of asexual production of ‘Dora’ was accomplished when vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection in 2001 in a controlled environment in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands, and propagated further at this location. The new cultivar has been found to retain its distinctive characteristics through successive propagations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The present invention of a new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum is shown in the accompanying drawings, the color being as nearly true as possible with color photographs of this type.

FIG. 1 shows a plant of the cultivar in full bloom.

FIG. 2 shows the various stages of bloom of the new cultivar.

FIG. 3 shows the foliage of the new cultivar.

DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

This new variety of chrysanthemum is of the botanical classification Chrysanthemum morifolium L. The observations and measurements were gathered from plants grown out door in Rijsenhout, The Netherlands under natural day length and temperature and planted week 24 in 2004. The natural blooming date of this crop was October 18-25 (week 43). The average height of the plants was 40 cm. No growth retardants were used. No tests were done on disease or insect resistance or susceptibility. No tests were done on cold or drought tolerance. This new variety produces small sized blooms with red ray florets and a yellow center blooming for a period of 4 weeks.

From the cultivars known to inventor the most similar existing cultivar in comparison to ‘Dora’ are ‘Plutores’ (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 12,919) and ‘Cecaesar’ (U.S. Plant Patent pending). When ‘Plutores’, ‘Cecaesar’ and ‘Dora’ are being compared the following differences are noticed: The differences of ‘Plutores’, ‘Cecaesar’ and ‘Dora’ are (1) Bloom type. The flowers of ‘Plutores’ and ‘Cecaesar’ are decorative, while those of ‘Dora’ are of daisy type. (2) Flower size. The flowers of ‘Dora’ are smaller in size than those of ‘Plutores’ and ‘Cecaesar’ (3) Color ray-florets. The red color of the ray-florets is differently shaded in the three varieties ‘Dora’, ‘Plutores’ and ‘Cecaesar’.

The following is a description of the plant and characteristics that distinguish ‘Dora’ as a new and distinct variety. The color designations are taken from the plant itself. Accordingly, any discrepancies between the color designations and the colors depicted in the photographs are due to photographic tolerances. The color chart used in this description is: The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, edition 1995. TABLE 1 Botanical Description of chrysanthemum plant ‘DORA’ Bud Size Small; cross-section 0.3 cm, height 0.2 cm Outside Color Greyed-purple 187B Involucral bracts 2 rows, length 7 mm, width 3 mm Involucral bracts among disc-florets Not present Involucral bracts color Green 139C Bloom Type Daisy Height 1 cm Size Small Fully Expanded 3 cm Peduncle length 3.5-4 cm Peduncle color Yellow-green 144A to Green 138A Number of blooms per branch Approx. 5-7 blooms per branch Performance on the plant 4 weeks Seeds Produced in small quantities, ovate grey-brown 199A, 1½ mm in length. Fragrance Typical chrysanthemum, slightly Color Center of the flower (disc-florets) Immature Yellow-green 145A Mature Yellow-orange 15A Color of upper surface of the ray- Greyed-red 178B florets Color of the lower surface of the Greyed-orange 175D ray-florets Tonality from Distance A garden mum with red flowers and a yellow disc Discoloration to color Greyed-red 178B Ray florets Texture Upper and under side smooth Number 70-80 Cross-section Flat Longitudinal axis of majority Straight Length of corolla tube 0.3 cm Ray-floret margin Entire Ray-floret length 1.3 cm Ray-floret width 0.3 cm Ratio length/width High Shape of tip Pointed Disc florets Disc diameter 1 cm Distribution of disc florets Numerous, clearly visible at all stages Shape Tubular Receptacle shape Conical raised Reproductive Organs Stamen Present in disc florets only Stamen color Yellow-green 144A Pollen Present Pollen color Yellow 7A Styles Thin Style color Yellow 13A Style Length 3 mm Stigma color Yellow-green 144A Stigma Width 1 mm Ovaries Enclosed in calyx Plant Form Grown as a spray type potmum, outdoor mounded and round Growth habit Spherical shape Growth rate Medium vigor Height 40 cm Width 55 cm Stem Color Greyed-brown 199B Stem Strength Strong Stem Brittleness Not brittle Stem Anthocyanin Coloration Absent Internode length 1.5-3 cm Length of lateral branch From top to bottom 13 cm Lateral branch color Yellow-green 144B Lateral branch, attachment Medium strength Branching (average number of Prolific with 8-10 breaks lateral branches) after pinching Natural season blooming date October 18-25 Foliage Leaf color Upper side Green 137A Lower side Green 138A Color midvein Upper side Green 138C Lower side Green 139D Size Small; length 2-3.5 cm, width 2-2.5 cm Quantity (number per lateral 18-20 branch) Shape Ovate Texture upper side Glabrous Texture under side Pubescent Venation arrangement Palmate Shape of the margin Serrated Shape of Base of Sinus Between Rounded Lateral Lobes Margin of Sinus Between Lateral Diverging Lobes Shape of Base Truncate Apex Mucronulate Petiole length 0.5 cm Petiole color Green 138C

TABLE 2 Differences with the comparison varieties ‘Dora’ ‘Plutores’ ‘Cecaesar’ Bloom type Daisy Decorative Decorative Flower size 3 cm 4.5 cm 5.5 cm Color upper Greyed-red 178B Red 46A Greyed-red 178D side ray-florets at tip and Yellow 7C at base 

1. A new and distinct variety of chrysanthemum plant as described and illustrated. 